GOSHEN — From the lush lawns of Wimbledon to the pastoral fairways of the Torrington Country Club, Ivan Lendl of Goshen has had one heck of a July.

Earlier this month Lendl was in London, coaching Andy Murray to the Wimbledon championship. Monday he was in Torrington for the opening round of the 79th Connecticut Open. Lendl shot a 7-over 79 at his home club, so he was more than happy to talk a bit of tennis.

Even being there, in the UK, when Murray ended the Brit jinx, Lendl had difficulty describing the magnitude of the event.

"It was difficult, even for me," he said.

What helped Murray the most, he believed, was a steady mental approach. That is the message Lendl tried to put into the head of his student.

"You can't play sports, at least tennis or golf, with emotions, positive or negative," Lendl said. "You have to keep a level head. As long as you stay level-headed you have a good chance of making good decisions. It would be a mistake to be emotional on the court, or give an emotional message to him."

"I tried to help him to enjoy the pressure," Lendl said, "because you can't fight it. If you enjoy it, you have a chance of getting better."

One of the most memorable parts of the Wimbledon experience was watching Lendl in the Friend's Box each match wearing a bit of home on his head — a Lake Waramaug Country Club golf cap.

"They were telling me they were getting calls from non-members who wanted to buy the hat," he said.

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